"we are the web"

Menu

Gaia Grove is holding a full moon retreat in March 2017 on the Baja coast for all who wish to refresh souls, reawaken creativity, & be inspired by the healing magic of Gaia.

Come on a sacred journey for 3 mystical nights and 4 magical days on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean in a retreat designed especially for creatives seeking to grow skills and practice their craft in harmony with nature. This location abounds with tidal pools, marine geysers, secret ocean caves, and more, and is known for opening channels for inspired work and healing.

the home itself perched on the ocean cliff

sunrise & the moon over the mountains

the view of the home from La Bufadora

This weekend of nature, writing, hiking, art, song, circles, and creativity will be at the Baja Off The Grid ocean cliff retreat (www.bajaoffthegrid.com) in La Bufadora, Mexico, just a 2 hours drive south of San Diego, outside of Ensenada. The location is near local villages for food, local artisans, and emergencies, yet remote enough to have sweeping views of the horizon and the Milky Way is usually visible at night with the naked eye. The home itself is custom-designed for spiritual gatherings & retreats, has been featured in LA Yoga magazine, and is a primarily solar-powered sanctuary surrounded by hiking trails, marine life from whales to anemones, and remarkable scenery.

We live by the sun; each evening, we gather before sundown for a group circle, activity & dinner, and morning begins with breakfast & group circle, followed by a hike. Days are free to explore in your own way, journal, sing, drum, paint, yoga etc. with an optional offering class, tarot, or astrology reading. Healthy and mostly organic, vegetarian meals are included Thursday dinner through Sunday morning. There will be a lovely balance of both private and group time, which will allow for necessary insight, sharing, and reflection.

We would like to keep this group under 8; there is also ability to drive participants to the retreat to and from Los Angeles. Please email scorpfaery@gmail.com to make sure the room you are interested in and ride space is still available before booking.

Please also feel free to ask any questions you have! There are 5 bedrooms in the house, and single rates are for those needing an entire room for just one person ($400), while double rates are for rooms shared by two people ($600 total; or $300 per person for Sun/Moon & $700 total; or $350 per person for Mars/Venus. Guests may drive themselves or have the option to be driven roundtrip from Los Angeles for $150…https://www.facebook.com/events/212594065849115/
Reservations, rates & more details: http://bit.ly/gaiagrovemarchfullmoon

This retreat will be facilitated by Gaia Grove creatrix Amy Clarke, an award-winning singer-songwriter, pianist, percussionist, performing & teaching artist, who has also facilitated moon circles, public/private rituals, and women’s circles for over a decade. She offers workshops, classes, and private consultation in music, magic, and more, with a special focus on divination and sound healing. Amy has performed solo around the country to notable acclaim, and has shared stages with a diverse collection of inspired artists including globally known author, witch & activist Starhawk, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls & The Courtyard Hounds at Lilith 2010, Amrita Sen, Poe, visionary painter Amanda Sage, drummer Dave Greene (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Joe Walsh, Steve Ferrone), and at such festivals and communities such as Spirit Weavers Gathering (2016), Cross Pollinate (2013-2015, Jan 2017), Reclaiming Los Angeles (2013-2016), California Witchcamp (2016), Temple of Visions, Earth:Arts Partnership, Sacred Spaces Village at Burning Man & SD Burning Man Decom, Lightning Temple, LA Burning Man Decom, The Viper Room, The Cutting Room, Busboys & Poets (Artist of the Month), SXSW, The House of Blues Sunset Strip, the International Alchemy Conference, and many more. Amy is also a community leader who has served nearby gardens, schools, and her neighborhood council in Silver Lake, and is a priestess & percussionist in the Reclaiming tradition. She is teaching Sacred Rhythms and Spiritual Activism at Spirit Weavers next June during the Moon session and is releasing more new music in 2017.

_______________________________________________________________

PS WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH OTHER ARTISTS, HEALERS, AND MORE IN 2017 – GAIAGROVE@GMAIL.COM for cocreation of retreats in May, June, September & beyond…

All rooms share the three house bathrooms – one downstairs with shower for Sun/Moon and two upstairs – one with shower for Venus/Mars & one general bathroom for house. Showers with hot water are available on limited basis during the daytime only, please 🙂

Please give yourself this sacred gift to replenish your creative wells, spark your fires of expression, and prepare to emerge transformed from a weekend communing with the earth, the ocean, the sun, the stars, and your soul. Please email gaiagrove@gmail.com with questions, to express interest, and to make initial inquiries. Non-refundable deposit checks/venmo payment etc. of $250 required to reserve a space for this weekend at the edge of the earth, where the sea meets the sky, and where magic happens…

Looking to do ☆MAGICK☆ for this weekend’s rallies & protests? Or, maybe you’re staying home but want to prepare for the new regime in DC? A group of witches & magick-makers (including Star Hawk) put together a “MAGICKAL ACTIVISM TOOLKIT for CHALLENGING TIMES”, along with 2 sigils. It’s a lengthy post, but worth reading!
☆ MAGICKAL TOOLKIT FOR CHALLENGING TIMES ☆

:: Magickal Activism During Political, Environmental, and Social Upheaval ::

(Version 1)
Dear Reader,
This toolkit is a starting point for magickal activism in these challenging times. It is an evolving document, co-created in a consensus decision-making process by members of the Reclaiming Tradition, an international community working to unify spirit and politics. We are critical of the people and systems of oppression that create our dominant culture and aim to liberate ourselves from the colonial mindset we’ve inherited.
This toolkit will adapt to upcoming political, social, and environmental issues as they present themselves. The current version lays a foundation for the work ahead. Regardless of your years of study or experience, we recommend starting (or renewing) your protection/shielding now. Developing a relationship with the recommended deities and practicing the sigil visualization will also prepare you for the magickal work in the coming weeks, months, and years. More specific instructions (rituals, spellwork, etc.) will be forthcoming.
The magick we weave contributes to a global movement of witches, Pagans, and occultists committed to freedom and justice in all its forms. We recognize that the earth is alive as we are alive, and animism is an antidote to apathy. So, don’t forget to get outside and connect with nature – it will strengthen both your magick and activism.
We offer thanks to the Ancient Ones, the Mighty Dead of the Craft, and the descendants yet to come.
Blessed Be

January, 17, 2017
:: INTENTION ::

“Grounded in magick and activism, moving between shadow and light, we gather in community to work the deep and radical magick of resisting the destruction of all we love and support all working for justice and liberty. Rooted together, we crack through the concrete to grow and use our gifts to heal the earth and her people. May love, justice and truth prevail now.”

[Consensed 12.21.16 on Winter Solstice]
:: PROTECTION / SHIELDING ::

When doing any witchcraft, magickal, or occult work it is important to practice grounding, warding, shielding, and/or protection. This will help you maintain your balance when dealing with people and systems that use a power-over method of control (ex. white supremacists, heterosexists, patriarchal capitalism, etc.). This includes the miasma created by news reports and social media ‘memes’ that highlight political figures and the shocking decay of our society and government.
Shielding can protect you from generating fear inside yourself, feeding the instigators of the fear, and undermining your magick. It can also help you avoid a rebounding effect or attack from within when your emotions get stirred up.
Protections can include the Tree of Life grounding, Blue Feri Fire meditation, the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, Iron & or Pearl Pentacle, cleansing your aura/energy body, and casting a circle while visualizing pentagrams, roses, or protective symbols surrounding you. An Internet search will provide descriptions and instructions for these exercises, and here are guided meditations for grounding and shielding that you can try: http://www.sacredplanthealing.com/resources/practices/
:: WORKING WITH DEITIES ::

Although you may already work with Gods, Goddesses, guides or spiritual allies, please consider cultivating a relationship with:
:: LADY LIBERTY ::

Lady Liberty stands above New York Harbor and welcomes all, especially in all our diversity, proclaiming: ‘We are all in this together’. She is a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of Freedom worshipped widely in ancient Rome, especially among emancipated slaves. She holds a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. She teaches us about the complexities of the world-changing work we do to create a just, sustainable planet.
Lady Liberty is a powerful ally to work with. Her energy will feed your work and spread life-affirming magic in the world. Her large, colossal energy is way beyond our ability to hold or contain, although you might be able to induce that energy in yourself or a group. Invoke Lady Liberty’s energy to flow via the 7 rays of her diadem or crown which form a halo or aureole. The 7 rays evoke the sun, the seven seas, and the seven continents, representing another means, besides the torch, whereby Liberty enlightens the world. Imagine her holding a torch surrounded by a lantern of mirrors directing the light of the flame like a lighthouse, revealing truth and igniting passion and determination in all who work for freedom, justice, and liberty for all.
Statue of Liberty Images and References

Hermes (Roman name: Mercury) is the Greek messenger of the Gods, communications, travel, cunning, luck, eloquence, and athleticism. A guide of souls to the Underworld, Hermes is also the consummate magic wielder and… a trickster. Hermes is a powerful ally to work with when you need technology and telecommunications to bend to your will and when you need the way to be open. Invoke Hermes when you need to effectively and powerfully communicate, when you need to deeply listen and speak, and when you need to perceive or ascertain the truth.
Considered a friendly God by the Greeks, call on Hermes (“Hail Hermes!”) when you need a friend, some good luck, or a dose of wit and cleverness. With wings on his shoes and a wide-brimmed hat, Hermes holds the Caduceus in his hand (rod with two snakes intertwining). Cultivate his qualities of courage, dedication, humor, and wisdom when you desire transformation or to turn things upside down.
Hermes Images and References

If you do not feel comfortable doing trance visualization on your own, try pre-recording it yourself for listening while in meditation, or use a Shamanic journeying drumbeat while you visualize/trance with Lady Liberty. Here are some resources:
+ “Journey to the Heart of the World” with Sandra Ingerman (brief intro to Shamanic

A sigil is a symbol that has magickal power. Our sigil for Lady Liberty and all she represents has the open book or tablet (tabula ansata) with the light of truth shining brightly from its pages, illuminating her 7-rayed diadem, or crown.
How to use it:

+ When you meditate, focus on the sigil to strengthen your connection to Lady Liberty. You can also look for the sigil when you are doing trance work or journey work and see where it takes you.

+ It can be scribbled quickly in a magickal working or spell and also on sidewalks.

+ Share the sigil on social media and make your own stickers, stencils, t-shirts, etc. Here are some DIY and merchandise resources; we have provided two versions of the sigil for you to work with:
Instructables (DIY stencil)

Reclaiming’s vision is rooted in the religion and magic of the Goddess, the Immanent Life Force. We see our work as teaching and making magic: the art of empowering ourselves and each other. We use the skills we learn to deepen our strength, both as individuals and as community, to voice our concerns about the world in which we live, and to bring to birth a vision of a new culture.

Happy Friday the 13th, as we emerge from the gentle, mystical, watery waves of the Cancerian moon – the first full moon of 2017 – into the dynamic and playful energy of the Moon in Leo…

Gaia Grove Full Moon Music percussion circles in 2017!
After a magical first circle of #fullmoonmusic 1/11, we will have another gathering in February (& more popups around LA) ! Feb location/date TBA will be announced by Lunar New Year/New Moon at month end. Year of the Red Female Fire Chicken (aka Phoenix) approaches!

We gather at the full moon for a timeless tradition ~ drumming ~ to connect with universal cycles and the heartbeat of Gaia. We honor the Mother with music, magic, and the medicine of sacred percussion, cocreating divine rhythms and weaving a healing sonic song spell with our voices, hands, hearts, and souls. For all levels of experience. Everyone has a heartbeat, everyone is a rhythmmaker. Feb location TBA. Suggested donation $10-$20 for energy exchange; though no one is turned away for lack of funds. Please bring your own drum/percussion instrument, although some may be available for use if reserved in advance. Please indicate when you email RSVP (to gaiagrove@gmail.com) if you will need a drum or have one. We have a wide variety of percussion instruments aside from drums to choose from as well.

Spirit Weavers Gathering – TICKETS ON SALE 10AMPST tomorrow and WILL SELL OUTI am honored to be teaching at Spirit Weavers Gathering for women and girls this summer, taking place at either Lake Concow in Northern California or in Southern Oregon, location is finalizing. I will be leading workshops at the Moon Session this year, and was accepted to teach Sacred Rhythms Percussion Workshop & Spiritual Activism! http://www.spiritweaversgathering.com/weavers-moon/ The tickets sold out in hours last year, so if you wish to attend, please be be ready to register first thing tomorrow am. http://www.spiritweaversgathering.com/register/

Spirit Weavers Gathering is a five day celebration of cultures past, a remembering and practicing of basic human skills to ensure the survival of the body and the soul. Fermenting foods, weaving, dying fabrics, creating ceremony, sharing meals at night and dreams in the morning, drinking tea, and making plant medicines- singing songs, together as a community- these were the common knowledge ways and part of the simple pleasures of a life lived in balance and harmony with nature. Let us gather together as Women and share our skills in remembrance of the beauty path and an honoring of our Ancestors. http://www.spiritweaversgathering.com/about/

Women’s March in Los Angeles – Sat Jan 21, 2017

My daughter Ella Mira and I will be marching in the Women’s March Los Angeles in solidarity with the huge DC March and sister marches around the country. Who will join us? We are meeting in Pershing Square at 8:30AM somewhere near Planned Parenthood to form a rhythm section with drums, instruments, voices, chants and more – email/text to link up and expand the sonic waves…https://www.facebook.com/events/1141087212675446/ Gaia Grove Percussion Meetuphttps://www.facebook.com/events/1211228062281167/ Women’s March

Cross Pollinate is an opportunity for Los Angeles women to connect with one another in a supportive environment to share ideas, resources, and projects. In light of our political climate we feel it’s imperative that we gather and create solutions. Our theme this will be political and social justice. We will have dynamic women in the environmental and social justice fields leading us in dicussion that will move beyond our circle, make ripples that will turn into waves of profound action! https://www.facebook.com/events/386437141709596/

GODDESS SONG“rising awakening opening eyes / calling my sisters it’s time to arise”
Have you heard #GODDESS yet? Streaming through end of January, then only available for purchase from iTunes, Amazon, etc. #MAATmusic#ScorpFaery#GaiaGrove

For all interested in meeting up in advance of the Women’s March Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan 21, 2017 to co-create and grow a rhythm section during the march, please bring drums, instruments, rhythm makers, voices, songs, chants, and more and plan to be in Pershing Square by 8:30AM. More details to come next week.

Amy Clarke and other Gaia Grove collaborators will be there with several drums, sharing songs and chants, and welcomes collaboration with all.

www.womensmarchla.org OUR MISSION We stand together in solidarity for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country. In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us. We support the advocacy and resistance movements that reflect our multiple and intersecting identities. We call on all defenders of human rights to join us. This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all. HEAR OUR VOICE.”

So make the most of the illumination and insight the Leo Full Moon brings this weekend (Jan 23-24), pay attention to what is revealed, especially in relation to how and what you create in the world (hint: focus more on authentic expression than dramatic attention), then prepare to release whatever is no longer serving your highest purpose, vision, and self after this full moon and get ready for a refined seed vision to emerge in your mind’s eye in the next few weeks. Make sure to “enchant the earth” ~ literally and metaphorically if possible ~ so that your foundation for the year is clean, fertile, and primed for new planting, and also nurture your seed vision with love and care over the next few weeks in preparation for spring equinox/activation. There is still time to refocus intentions for the year ahead…

Here, I am re-dedicating myself to my lifelong musical endeavors, not only with my long-unfinished album still tugging at my wings, but an entire new project now bubbling into being and captivating my curiosity… excited to see what else comes forth from the void…

Finally, Gaia Grove is holding space for a creative open house/retreat for artists, musicians, creatives, witches, healers, shamans, and all others who wish to recharge and be inspired by the beauty and healing power of Gaia Feb 11-15, 2016 at the AMAZING Baja Off The Gridhome (www.bajaoffthegrid.com), perched high on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, just a 2 hours drive south of San Diego in La Bufadora, near Ensenada, Mexico. Make a date with your Muse, and spend this weekend communing with nature, the unknown, and your creative spirit. Very limited space; please email gaiagrove@gmail.com to express interest, inquire about rates, and hold space. More details forthcoming, but announcing before full moon as if you are without a current passport, LA based folks can get an expedited one via an appointment with the Federal Passport Agency in West LA if you feel called to visit this magical place 🙂

Soulful songstress Amy Clarke crafts powerful vocal & piano-driven music with lyrical depth, consciousness, and *magic*. Skillfully blending classical training with modern influences, she is a dynamic and compelling stage presence – whether solo acoustic, experimenting live with guest artists, or mixing effects on her synth keyboard. Her own label MAAT Music references the Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, and balance.

“a gifted musician with a lovely voice” – The Eclectic Collection: A Celebration of Women in Music

ARTISTRYAs a creatrix, oracle reader, and priestess of the moon, Amy brews music, healing arts, ceremony, & nature into a promising and potent alchemical blend. While primarily a solo artist, Amy enjoys experimenting with other musicians and artists, at times producing unique concerts and events to benefit sustainable non-profits and local organizations with her evolving collective GAIA GROVE (www.gaiagrove.org). Amy has opened for and shared stages with a diverse & inspirational collection of artists and projects including Starhawk, Poe, Amanda Sage, Occupy Love, Dave Greene (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Joe Walsh, Steve Ferrone Band), La Palabra, played an impromptu set at Lilith 2010 in Irvine, CA in the Yamaha tent, and was appointed the Nettwerk Social Media Ambassador by CEO Terry McBride for the penultimate Lilith concert in her hometown Washington, DC.

Inspired by many muses, Amy has interviewed Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, the Indigo Girls, and more in person on creativity, songwriting, and touring, and she has shared her own music and taught workshops on creativity, sound healing, astrology/tarot and more from major festivals (Sacred Spaces Village, Burning Man, SXSW, etc) to local collectives, schools and community gardens (primarily Micheltorena Garden in Silver Lake, Los Angeles). Amy is also a Priestess with Reclaiming, has been published in the Reclaiming Quarterly, has shared her work at the International Alchemy Conference.

DISCOGRAPHY
Since independently producing and releasing her debut After The Fall EP mostly from her laptop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2006, Amy’s music has been featured on national, cable & internet TV; FM Radio, internet radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, she has been interviewed on TV & radio and local press, and performed in countless high-profile gigs in both top NY/LA/DC venues (see below) & on festival circuit (SXSW, Burning Man (twice), LA Burning Man Decom (3 times), San Diego Burning Man Decom, South Park Music Festival, Temple of Visions, Cross Pollinate, & Sacred Spaces, to name a few). Amy earned a Certificate in Electronic Music Production from SAE-NY in 2005, and has also received 5 ASCAP Plus awards for songwriting.

Amy released the single “MARY (her story)” in 2009 as a preview from her future album, and followed that up with the Winter Solstice 2012 release of “We Are The Web”. She now plans to release her full album in 2016, along with another new project.

PERFORMANCE
In New York City, Amy has performed at The Cutting Room, The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, Pianos, Rose Live Music, CBGB’s 313 Gallery, Marion’s on the Bowery, Mo Pitkins House of Satisfaction, Caffe Vivaldi, The Triad, The Duplex, P.S. 122, M Shanghai Den (Williamsburg residency), BAP (Bushwick Art Project), Hope Lounge, and in events for Tree People, Direct Relief, Theatres Against War International, Planned Parenthood & Habitat for Humanity International. Amy has also starred Off-Broadway and been featured and interviewed on television, Sirius Satellite Radio, and cable. In Washington, DC, she has performed at the Studio Theatre, Georgetown University, Catholic University, The National Theatre, and from the indie underground scene of the Black Cat and The Red & The Black all the way to The White House. Amy has been selected as Artist of the Month at Busboys & Poets U St and was featured at All Souls Unitarian Church, 16th St, DC. In Los Angeles, CA she has performed at The Viper Room, Hotel Cafe, The House of Blues, Temple of Visions, The Big Art Church, LA Burning Man Decompression Festival, Playhouse, King King, The Silver Lake Picture Show, Sunset Triangle Plaza, Los Globos, Genghis Cohen, El Cid, The Derby, Tangier, The Verity Room, MethodFest Film Festival, Burbank International Film Festival, Los Angeles Convention Center, LA State Historical Park, and has opened for Starhawk three times at Fais Do Do.

Amy is grateful for the loving support of many wonderful friends, family, and community members. “Love is the way” ~

SAT OCT 24 ~ Starhawk in town for “Stories For The New Era” workshop & Spiral Dance Ritual with Reclaiming LA 2PM-9PM at Fais Do Do in West LA. “Hard to believe it’s that time of year already–when the veil is thin between the worlds, and we honor the ancestors! Come join us…” https://www.facebook.com/events/1615716085353150/ Grateful for Gaia Grove to share the opening music ~ 2PM Sat Oct 24 at Fais Do Do featuring Amy Clarke, Rene Collins, Devon Rachelle & more, then Starhawk workshop at 2:30PM … get tix in advance! http://bit.ly/1K6vh7K

There are so many wonderful articles and blogs on the recent Instagram ban of #Goddess I have compiled many of them here. Thanks to LA MOTHER for doing the art campaign in May to reclaim derogatory language that led to me choosing the hashtag #goddess so the picture above was taken, as it was featured in the Daily Dot blog and is getting traction and awareness on Instagram at present. Sign the petition at Change.org. Spread the word.

<<The use of hashtags on Instagram has become a new way for social media lovers to gather and search for information. Most of these popular hashtags seem harmless, but there are a few that are problematic. To make sure the app is being used in a safe way, controversial tags are blocked or given a “Content Advisory” warning message. While it’s clear why certain questionable hashtags would be suspended, we were incredibly confused when earlier this month the app decided to ban the body positive hashtag #curvy. Instagram users were not happy with the eliminated hashtag and fought back by using #curvee, #stillcurvy, and #bringbackcurvy instead. Eventually Instagram came to realize that the hashtag was being used to celebrate the female body and lifted the ban.

While there are those that do acknowledge that Instagram’s attempts are noble, there is still incongruity in its efforts. Linda Steiner, PhD, a University of Maryland, College Park media studies professor, told ThinkProgress, “I’m impressed with the attempts of Instagram, Reddit, and Twitter to try to come to grips with the problem rather than ignoring it altogether.” However, she goes on to say that the enforcement and methodologies used are inconsistent and problematic. Steiner said:

Instagram’s policy is not only weirdly enforced, I think they’re trying to have a simple policy that makes it easy for them …. Women are really bothered by the predatory invasion of their bodies … That includes posts of their body parts without their permission and the banning their own images because they don’t conform to an ideal physique.

As Steiner suggests, many of these bans, and related deleted photos, directly involve the display of female bodies and women’s sexuality. And, that has been the crux of the problem. While Instagram is trying to protect women and curb violations against women’s bodies, it is also censoring women and their positive expressions of female sexuality, spirituality, agency and body-positive imagery.